Our Guide to the Top 41 Side Hustles and How to Get Started

Our first section will focus on online side hustles to help you make a few extra bucks in your spare time.

With enough input and dedication, who knows? You might just start your own business!

Affiliate marketing is one of the most profitable online side hustles out there.

By promoting a company or individual’s products, you can earn a commission when someone purchases a product through your marketing methods.

Plenty of online platforms have affiliate marketing networks that help you sell their products.

Some of these networks include:

If you’d like an in-depth look into some good affiliate programs, click here.

You’ll see examples of how you can turn basic cash into some serious money.

When it comes to easy sales without the hassle of transport or manufacturing, dropshipping is the niche to jump into.

Be aware though, because of the low-barrier entry into this market, it’s a highly competitive side hustle to get into.

Dropshippers can expect to make anything between $1,000 to $5,000/month depending on how you choose to market (you could sell 100 items at $10 each or 10 items at $100).

Besides Amazon or eBay, here are some other dropshipping companies you could apply for:

Additionally, you could also look at some of these dropshipping platforms:

Becoming a freelancer means you’re going to enter a very competitive and highly saturated market.

However, this doesn’t mean that it’s a bad idea.

Businesses are always looking for new freelancers, and they’ll pay reasonable rates for their work.

If you have a skill that you’re great at, you can sell your services.

However, you need to deliver top-quality work to your clients and maintain a professional relationship with them.

Here are a few fields you can step into as a freelancer:

We’ll dive into some of these niches further in this post.

For now, just be aware that there are a lot of extra income options available for you to test out.

A few handy freelance platforms to look at are:

Once your book is written, you’ll need to do the promoting yourself — this includes advertising, content marketing, blogging, social media, etc.

But don't worry, our solution has you covered (read until the end)!

If you’re a total English language know-it-all and you can explain things pretty well then you’re a perfect fit to become an online English teacher!

With the pandemic causing everything to move online, there has never been a higher demand for online teachers.

Although it’s not a necessity, this market prefers native English speakers. If you are one, then you’ll have a great advantage.

You can find online teaching jobs on many platforms such as Premier TEFL, Cambly, i-to-i, and VIPKID (to name a few).

Some platforms might require you to have a TEFL or TESL degree.

The longer your degree is (120+ hours) the greater your chances of landing a good job.

If you’d like to go even further, you can study to become an IELTS or TOEIC teacher.

IELTS is for those who want to study abroad or emigrate to an English-speaking country, whereas TOEIC is for improving your work and business English.

With so many teaching platforms, you’ll need to research to find the one that would be the best fit for you.

Blogging requires dedication if you want to make it big. You’ll need to learn how to market your blog, where, and you’ll need to create your own schedule for posting based on your audience.

Many bloggers make between $200-$2,500/month in their first year of blogging.

If you want to start making money, affiliate marketing could be an amazing idea to start within the blog niche.

If you’re ready to become a blogger, read our in-depth guide on how to get started and create a profitable blog.

Some assistants might also specialize in graphic design, bookkeeping, or social media management.

If you’d like to become a virtual assistant, check out this post from TimeDoctor.

The eLearning market is projected to reach $147.79 billion between 2021-2025.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Creating a lucrative business selling courses online is an absolute no-brainer.

If you’re a total expert (or you just know more than the next guy), share your knowledge with the world, and get paid for it!

Because people are always curious to figure out how to do something or learn a new skill, there will always be an audience out there to market to.

A few platforms that can help you are:

When you’re ready to learn how to create an online course, click here — we’ll help you get there!

If you have the right skills but don’t know where to start, don’t worry — freelance work for graphic and web designers (including coders) comes in the hundreds!

Salaries in these markets can range from $27/hour (graphic) to $60/hour (web design) depending on which road you choose to venture down.

If you’re artistic, you could sell your designs online (more on this later), or you could start a small business building and maintaining company websites.

Whatever you choose, here are some great platforms to look at:

You should be careful about this one — you might enjoy it so much that it becomes a full-time job!

If you’re the type of person who’s obsessed with social media, being a social media manager will come naturally to you.

A social media manager is in charge of running a company or individual’s social media account.

Depending on who you sign up with, salaries can range from $11.5-$27/hour — not bad for someone who might have just a few hours a day to work on a side hustle.

To get started, reach out to any brands you know that you can use to market in your area or start marketing yourself on social media.

If you get stuck, these platforms might help:

No matter how good you are as a writer, whether you’re tackling a book, a marketing copy, or just some freelance writing as a hobby, mistakes can and will always slip through.

Luckily for every online business on the planet, there are keen-eyed individuals that absolutely love spell-checking.

There are quite a few platforms out there that can help you make some extra cash for proofreading.

Some of these include:

Oftentimes, companies require proofreaders to have some experience, so if you’re new, consider doing a few free jobs (Fiverr works well for this) to build up your portfolio.

The job of a virtual bookkeeper is to organize and track the income and expenses of a business so that the business owner can focus on running the business.

Fortunately for you, you don’t need to be a professional accountant to become a bookkeeper.

What you’ll need is:

Salaries can range between $10-$25/hour depending on where you work.

If you’re a master of numbers or feel like this is something new to try out, look toward some of these companies:

This is one of those side hustles that may seem small but can grow to be absolutely massive.

If you‘re one of those highly organized people who get a kick out of the adrenaline rush that comes with deadlines and planning events, then read on.

Depending on what branch (social or corporate) you dive into and the experience you have, you can expect to make anything between $12-$150/hour.

If you don’t have any experience, start by volunteering to plan and organize events such as birthday parties, house-warming parties, or bridal showers. This is an easy way to build your reputation and portfolio.

For some inspiration on how to get started, give this article a read.

With a can-do attitude and hard work, you might just become the next Jennifer Bassett.

If you love cooking, and more importantly, love cooking for other people, then you’re at the right place.

A personal chef has one of two routes they can take. Either you go to someone’s house and cook for them, or you can do meal-prep deliveries.

A smart choice is to cook for those that have some form of dietary restrictions or food allergies.

Not only are these ingredients normally more expensive (which means you can charge more), but it’s also more challenging to cook, which means you can stand out above the rest in this industry.

Pricing for personal chefs varies depending on what you can offer.

Normally, you could charge $30-$40/hour, but this can increase based on the ingredients you use or if you offer something extra such as wine pairings.

There are quite a few websites out there to offer your services, such as:

For any tips and tricks on getting started, visit the United States Personal Chef Association’s website here.

But what if I’m an introvert who loves cooking?

Then consider teaching others what you know.

The Australian YouTuber, Nat’s What I Reckon, found his love for crass cooking when he started making cooking videos on his channel during 2020’s lockdown.

His popularity exploded and, with 383,000 subscribers (at time of writing), he’s also brought out a book of his own, Un-cook Yourself: A Ratbag's Rules for Life.

You can be very successful with this. All you need to do is take the leap!

Sometimes we don’t have the spare time to build up a side hustle business, and we might need some extra cash immediately.

This next section is here just for that.

Read on to find out which side hustle ideas could make you more money fast, but be warned — they might seem a little strange!

A little strange indeed!

Blood plasma is a part of your blood that carries water, salts, and enzymes. It also carries important components that include:

The main role of plasma is to take nutrients, hormones, and proteins to the parts of the body that need it.

Unlike donating blood, you’re actually paid for plasma donations, because it’s used by big pharmaceutical companies.

Payment ranges from between $20-$50 per session depending on where you donate.

The donation process usually takes around 90 minutes but will be longer for first-timers, because you’ll be screened and questioned on your medical history.

Since the human body replenishes plasma within 48 hours, the FDA allows people to donate plasma up to twice a week (the US legal limit is 104 sessions a year).

The American Red Cross suggests that you only donate plasma every 28 days (up to 13 times per year) because they feel this is the best practice for safety.

Ultimately — the choice remains yours.

Remember to ask your doctor to list the side effects when you’re going for your first donation (if it isn’t mentioned).

If you’d like to make some extra money in your spare time, visit:

Even if it’s not much, making a few extra bucks is still worth sharing your opinion over.

Go for it!

Have you ever visited a website where you thought to yourself “If I was the owner, I’d definitely fix this or that”?

Well, now’s your chance!

User experience plays an important role in determining how well websites can convert customers.

If you see areas where it can be improved, like how user-friendly a website is, how it looks visually, how the menus operate, etc., your opinion could be in high demand!

To jump right in, visit:

You could make between $9-$50 for 15 minutes of testing — depending on where you sign up.

Take note that some sites will require you to have a webcam and microphone.

Simply put, a personal shopper is someone who gets hired to buy various items for people.

Shoppers normally help the elderly get their prescription meds or groceries but can also be used to help buy items for people who are too busy to do it themselves.

If you’re a fashionista, you could also use your love for clothing to specialize in helping clients find a style that best suits their features.

Some companies that could help you get started, include:

Our third section focuses on hustle jobs that can be done from the comfort of your home or neighborhood.

Some of these jobs might include creating your own website or purchasing a few items to help you get started.

There’s no need to worry, though, we have a great solution at the end of this article that’ll get you off to a running start.

Just keep reading!

This one is pretty obvious.

If you’re a homeowner with an extra room or 2 that you don’t know what to do with, then this could be a great idea to bring in a steady stream of income.

Airbnb helps you with everything, from creating your listing to prepping your space, so that there’s nothing to worry about.

To make your listing more attractive, you could include free house cleaning services or offer to be a tour guide for your town or city to add more value to your customers’ experience.

If you keep them happy, they’re more likely to leave a great review or return for another visit.

Some other platforms you could test out to rent a room out include:

Although babysitting might not be as unique as some of the other options on this list, it’s still a good hustle idea if you’ve got nothing to do and want to make some extra money.

The average rate for a babysitter in the US is between $17-$20/hour depending on the number of children, which is fairly decent.

The easiest route to take is to ask any of your friends with children if you could babysit for them or to put up fliers to market your services.

With 61% of parents who reported on Care.com that their usual child care providers were closed due to the pandemic, there’s quite a high demand for sitters.

If you’d like a more serious approach, then look at some of these links:

For more options, click here.

If you’re a grade school or high school teacher, then firstly, thank you for your service!

If you’re interested in helping your students better grasp your lessons and making some extra money on the side, then turn your attention to the site TeachersPayTeachers.com (TPT).

TPT allows you to sell your amazing lesson plans to other teachers around the country and to purchase new lessons, too.

It’s quite a popular platform, with roughly 7 billion resources having been downloaded in the past year, as well as being used by around 5 million teachers.

The site offers full curriculums from PreK to Grade 12 and further, worksheets, activities, math centers, and more.

Some similar sites to TPT include:

Once you’ve signed up with CafePress, you can sell your items either through a free online store or by using their Design and List section, where you create and sell them on their marketplace.

If you sell through your store, you can profit on whichever markup you add to your items.

If you sell through CafePress, they’ll pocket the base price, and you’ll earn between 5-10% in royalties.

If you’d like to try out more than one platform, consider these options:

This is a simple one.

If you’re good with a sewing machine, offer to tailor people’s clothes.

A good target market to start with is personal trainers at gyms.

People normally go there to lose weight, which means that buying new clothes could become pricey.

Offer personal trainers a finder’s fee for bringing their clients to you to have their clothes altered.

If you’re nice and personable, chances are you’ll get some return customers too.

How much money you could make from this side hustle entirely depends on your level of experience, attention to detail, and material costs.

Be reasonable with what you charge. Remember, you want your prices to be more attractive than the normal clothing market.

Now things are getting interesting.

This section is all about going the extra mile doing something you might’ve thought you’d never do.

Oftentimes, this can be a great experience, and you can discover what hidden skills you might have lurking underneath.

Are you ready to climb out of your comfort zone and into success?

Yes, you are!

Let’s see what this final section of our best side hustle ideas has to offer, and don’t forget about our surprise at the end!

This side hustle is going to require you to hunt down opportunities.

Two factors work in your favor when it comes to selling old appliances:

If you’re lucky, you can stumble across old appliances in perfect working condition that just need a bit of TLC before they can go back on the market.

When you go to pick up these appliances, look around for any other older products the owner might be willing to part with (if it’s free, it’s money in your pocket).

Once the appliance is ready for the market, you can include a delivery service to make some extra money.

When you do the drop-off, be sure to arrange for money upfront, and feel free to ask the new owner if they have any old items they want to part with.

Rinse and repeat.

There’s no reason why this side hustle can’t give you a steady stream of income.

It all depends on how much effort you’re willing to put in.

There are quite a few websites for you to start from:

There’s something therapeutic about putting IKEA furniture together from scratch.

If you agree, then this is definitely for you.

If you don’t agree, then this section has the perfect platforms for you to hire someone to do it for you.

Prices for assembly services vary depending on company and product and could range between $35-$450/hour/piece.

Companies to look into for this service include:

Everybody needs to get somewhere, but not everyone has a vehicle to get there.

Being an Uber or Lyft driver is a great way to make some extra cash in your free time, but this will require some discipline from your side.

Average hourly rates are mostly determined by location, but you can expect to make roughly $17/hour with Lyft or $18/hour with Uber.

Whether you’re renting a vehicle or using your own car, do some calculations before you sign up to determine how much you need to make to cover all your expenses.

These would include gas, tires, wear and tear, and mileage.

Similar platforms include:

Becoming a taste tester is not as simple as it might sound, but this side hustle is definitely worth it if you’re a foodie.

In short, a food taster is someone who tastes prepared food for safety and to identify certain characteristics that surface in the food.

As a taster, you’d take a small bite out of certain foods and focus on its key components — this includes the consistency, smell, and appearance of the food.

After the tasting, you’d spit the food out and cleanse your palate using water.

There are two main types of food tasters:

Indeed.com has a great article to help you learn the ins and outs for food tasting.

Rates for taste testers range from $12-$20/hour, but this ultimately depends on who you work with.

There are quite a few resources to look at:

A nifty tip to improve your scent memory is to smell fresh produce foods in stores. Your mind will learn to identify what you’re eating better this way.

Amazon Flex is a great platform to get you started with deliveries.

Not only do they offer you the freedom to work your own hours and to schedule your workweek, but rates are also $18-$25/hour (depending on location and speed of delivery), which is pretty good.

You will need to have your own means of transport though.

Once you’ve registered online, use the Flex app to find the packages for drop-off. Once you’ve scanned them in, the app will show you where to go.

A bonus feature is also your ability to monitor your earnings on the Flex app.

If you want more delivery opportunities, look below:

Phew! That concludes our extensive list.

With all these options available, where could you even get started?

Lucky for you — we have the answer.

And more!

On top of this all-encompassing list, each of our plans also come with these core features:

We mentioned our pricing plans, but what do they cost?

And more!

Our pricing plans and their features scale as your business does, but we leave the scaling for when you’re ready to climb higher.

You can also choose to be billed monthly or yearly, with the latter saving you 30% if you pay upfront.

Our prices are as follows:

Turning your side hustle into a small business couldn’t be more affordable and easy!

Side hustles are a brilliant way to discover, learn, and hone in some new skills you might not have known you had.

On top of that, you’ll make some extra dough to help you pursue the things you love.

If you’d like to find more resources on side hustles, be sure to visit the Side Hustle School.

Effort, dedication, and commitment are the key factors you’ll need to practice to make your side business a success.

Remember, these aren’t “get-rich-quick” schemes.

You'll have to apply yourself and understand that like any business — this will take time before it sets off completely.

Don’t limit yourself. You really are capable of anything and everything you set your mind to.

If you do what makes you feel incredible, you'll be incredible at anything you do.

Why not let systeme.io help you reach this success for free?

All it’ll cost is a point and a click, right here!

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